


Dean/Cas Prompt Challenge

by An_Angel_A_Muse



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood, Destiel - Freeform, M/M, Pain, injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-15 03:33:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18065810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/An_Angel_A_Muse/pseuds/An_Angel_A_Muse
Summary: "No matter what has happened, no matter what you have done, and no matter what you will do.. I will always love you. I swear it."





	Dean/Cas Prompt Challenge

The cave system was dark, and damp, and smelled like dirt and stone, and something else he couldn't quite place and could only describe as wetness. Castiel clung to walls as he tried to make his way out, he'd chased the so called monster pretty far, only to find out this monster was a rogue angel, fallen in the worst way. It was a long and difficult battle. This time it was just Cas and Dean. The struggle was unreal, every time Dean or Cas thought they had the upper hand they'd suddenly get overtaken. 

Castiel gave chase as the rogue took off down a long tunnel. He'd won that fight, not that one could tell, he was beaten and bruised to within an inch of his life. His wings were exposed, one dragging loosely on the ground behind him, the cold stone stripping away at his feathers. His hands were covered in blood. Mostly his own, the walls were not kind to him, except as his only way to stay upright. 

He nearly made it, he could see the beam of sunlight just ahead, feel some of the breeze that pushed it's way into the cavern. He heard the shouting, someone was calling his name, Dean? The shuffle of hurried footsteps grew closer and he was caught by strong arms as he finally collapsed, his whole body was trembling, but it found some relief when he was pulled in close to a warm body. 

"No.. nonono, not again, Cas!" Dean was holding him by the shoulders, trying to pull him to himself, trying to find the offending wound that had laid Cas out. His hand was grabbed to still the search and Cas shook his head. 

"Dean," he'd pause to take a labored breath, "it's no use.. I'm.. I'm sorry." 

"Like hell it's no use. Don't you do that, don't you give up." His voice trembled with tears un-shed as his shaking hand cupped Cas' cheek. 

"I.. I need to say something before-" 

"No, nope, you stop that shit right now. You don't give a goodbye speech when it's not goodbye. Come on, let's get you out of here." 

Cas whimpered as Dean tried to lift him, "Dean, I think I have a broken wing. That isn't the worst of it.."

"I wondered bout that. Usually your wings can't be seen.. but.." He'd take a breath and shake his head, "Let's check it out, ok?" Dean said and let Cas rest down again once they were outside and in the light. He'd pull off his jacket and roll it up for a makeshift pillow for the angel, then he got on with the search. "Ya know, I use to do this whenever Sam got hurt." He'd explain as he, as gently as he could, ran his hands along the arm of his wing. Dean would be in awe if this came about another way, if he didn't think Cas was dying. 

"That other angel.. he ..did something to me. I don't know.." Cas once again stopped his hand. "Dean.. Dean, you have to let go." He sounded weak, ready to give up. Maybe it'd be better for everyone anyway, he'd made so many mistakes, he was sure there would be more to come if he recovered from this. 

"No, no I don't, Cas. No. You're going to be ok. But you gotta hang on. I swear to god, if you die, I will hunt you down. " 

"Dean.. Why would you do that?" He'd turn his face away and held his chest as he coughed and gagged. When he returned he looked pale, his lips glistened and stained by his own blood. Dean looked pale himself, out of fear for his friend. 

"Ok, that's it. I'm taking you to get looked at. We're not that far from souix falls. Jody will have an idea of what to do." 

"I think it's a punctured lung." Cas stated his breathing laboring with every word. "You didn't answer me.. Why?" 

Dean could tell Cas was gonna be out at anytime.. maybe even dead. This was no time for denials and repressions. "Because, I don't wanna be here without you." 

Cas' already tight brow forrowed deeply, "What?.. Of course you do." 

"No, I seriously don't. I meant it, all those times I told you I needed you, I meant it every time." He'd close his eyes a moment before continuing, eyes opening to watch Cas', "Every I need you was suppose to be I love you. Every one." 

Cas' eyes widened, his eyes searching Dean's in confusion, "What.. no. I don't.. You shouldn't.." he'd curl up as another coughing fit hit him. Dean stroked his back gently between the dark glistening wings. 

"You know what.. I don't give a damn about shouldn't."

"I do." Cas gasped out. "Things.. I've done.. all the lies.." 

All he had to do is keep Cas talking. He had hit the dial on his phone, Sam heard the beginning of the conversation up to Cas' first coughing fit. Help would be there soon enough. "You think I give a damn about any of that? It doesn't matter."

"It does." 

"Cas, I swear, will you shut the hell up about how it matters?" Dean sat up straighter, as if gathering up all of his resolve. "Castiel, listen to me. No matter what has happened, no matter what you have done, and no matter what you will do.. I will always love you. I swear it. Hell, I'll swear it on my own life." Dean was ready to panic for multiple reasons.. he really just did that. He confessed, and it was terrifying and wonderful and terrifying. 

Cas couldn't believe it, Dean really said all of that. It was the most soul baring confession.. at a time like this.. He wanted to answer him, he opened his mouth to speak, but all that came was a shroud of darkness over his vision as he lost consciousness, the last thing he heard was Dean shouting his name. 

 

When Cas awoke he'd take a groggy look around, his surroundings were unfamiliar. He wasn't in the hospital but he was hooked up to medical equipment, laying in a hospital bed. His gaze fell on Dean, the hunter looked so worn down, even as he slept on the loveseat that had been pulled close to the bed. He was just within reach, so Cas stretched his hand out to brush fingertips over a scruffy cheek. "Dean.."

Dean jolted awake, green eyes wide open as he took in the fact Cas woke up. He thought this would be forever. "Cas, holy shit, you're awake." He'd scoot up close to the edge of his seat to take his hands, "How do you feel?"

"Like I was hit by a train." Cas admitted bluntly and stared down at his hands linked with Dean's, "Did.. that really happen?"

"A lot of thats happened, man, you gotta narrow it down." 

"I think you know which, it was rather significant."

Dean nodded stiffly, "Yeah, that happened, Cas." He seemed to be bracing himself for rejection, for being pushed away. He'd start to pull his hands away, trying to gain some distance, just in case. Cas only clasped his hands harder. 

"I thought it was a dream, or a hallucination." His face tightened as he tried to sit up, letting go of one hand so he could more easily pull himself up. 

Dean stood and let go fo the other hand in favor of adjusting the pillows so Cas could sit up more comfortably. "So, it's been 10 days." Dean started, shifting the uncomfortable conversation. "We're still at Jody's, uh.. Claire let us use her room. I mean.. she still sleeps in here. I think seeing you hurt like this shook her up. Alex got the equipment you're all hooked up to and the bed. I dunno how she managed it." 

Cas wanted to continue the first conversation, but this was all information he needed to know too. "Perhaps they should be informed about my waking up.. We are not done with the conversation about what was said in the cave though, Dean."

Dean nodded, "Yeah, uh.. I'll go get them." He started to move away, but his hand was grasped onto. 

"Dean, I know you're worried about it.. don't be." Cas would say before letting go of his hand. 

 

By the time the others came in, Cas was fully sitting up and checking out his bandages. His wing had been wrapped and then pinned to his back by still more bandages. His hands were wrapped in soft gauze, shielding the raw skin from anything that'd irritate it. Cas looked up when he heard the door open and Claire came in, followed by the rest of the troop, aside from Jody, since she'd been working. 

"Bout time you woke up. Lazy." Claire said with a smirk and sat on the edge of the bed. 

Cas gave her a soft look, "I'm sorry I worried you. It was never my intention."

"Like you can control what some asshat does to you." Claire gave an apologetic look at the one she'd received from Cas for her bad language.

"So.. what's the damage?" Cas asked and looked up as Alex stepped up to the edge of the bed. 

"Well, your wing is definitely fractured. It's not a bad break, just a hairline fracture, but there's some muscle and tendon tearing. You're gonna have to keep it wrapped up for at least another couple of months." Alex would walk over to start unwrapping his hands to check on those wounds and put fresh bandages on him. "No punctured lung, but you have a few bruised ribs, 2 are broken. They really did a number on you." 

"How can we even see your wings to start with? I thought we couldn't." Sam asked from over Alex's shoulder, watching her work. 

"The angel I had followed into that cavern performed a spell. It was something I had never seen or heard about. He thought it might give him an advantage somehow. As ingenious as the spell was, he wasn't very smart." Cas said and leaned back on his pillows. "Thank you for this. I am positive I would be dead without your help.."

"Please, you don't have to thank family for taking care of you. It's what they're there for." Claire stated and stood from the bed, "I'll get you some water, you're probably pretty dry after sleeping for so long." She made her way out of the room quickly, most likely embarrassed. That was as close to I love you as Cas had probably ever gotten from Claire.

"She's right ya know." Dean said and took Claire's spot on the bed, "You don't have to say thank you. Even if it's nice to hear anyway."

"I'm giving you something for pain." Alex said after looking at one of the monitors, "Your blood pressure is a little too high. It will make you groggy, and I know you probably don't want any more sleep, but don't fight it ok?" she'd adjust some things on his IV tube and once done she'd give a smile, "okay, you should feel that pretty quickly. Sam, wanna come with me to check on Claire?"

As quickly as the room had been crowded, it became empty again, aside from Cas and Dean. Dean hadn't left his spot perched on the edge of the bed, Cas however had started settling in again as his pain alleviated. 

"Dean.. tell me what you said again?" Cas asked quietly and watched as the hunter stiffened. 

"Uh, you sure about that? I mean, you should be resting right now." Dean was stalling, or at least trying to.. 

"I am resting, I've apparently been resting for about 10 days. Please?.."

Dean sighed, how was he suppose to say no to those pleading blue eyes? "I um... I said.." he'd rub the back of his neck, "Why's this only easy when one of us is on the verge of death?"

"Because, if you or I am dead, I can't reject you." Cas wasn't going to sugar coat it anymore, after this scare he learned how quickly life could fall away, no matter who you are, how easily the most important things go unsaid.

"Well damn Cas, don't beat around the bush."

"Quit stalling." Cas said in a calm, almost challenging way. Dean always rose to his challenges.

"Fuck, okay." Dean dropped his hand to the bed and took a breath to steel himself. "I said I love you, Cas.. but it's totally fine if you don't feel that way. Nothing has to change over it." Except he wouldn't be fine, and everything's changed.

Cas slid his hand over to rest it on top of Dean's, earning a shocked look. "If you only knew for how long I have loved you. I never thought I was worthy.. And then you said that too me, that you love me no matter what." He'd close his eyes, letting out a breath, both weary and relieved. 

Dean was glad Cas had closed his eyes, it meant he wouldn't see how teary he got. He was sure Cas would know anyhow. Rather than say a word, dean pulled away to stand. That got Cas opening his worried eyes, but Dean was pulling back the covers and climbing into the bed. He'd gently scoot in close as he pulled the blankets back over them both. 

Cas was reassured by this turn out and would let his head come to rest on Dean's shoulder as he was held. He drifted off without fear, and as sleep enveloped him he was sure he heard Dean say, "I love you, Cas."


End file.
